1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simple device that receives one or more plastic bags and allows them to dry thereon.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Small plastic bags, commonly referred to as baggies, are very versatile as they can hold a multitude of items in a secure and air tight manner. From PB&J sandwiches for the kids, to fruits and vegetables, to soups and other items, baggies can be found in lunch boxes everywhere. Baggies are also great for longer term food storage, both in the refrigerator and the freezer, providing an airtight seal that helps prevent premature spoilage of the item being held. Baggies also have utility outside of the kitchen as they are used to hold everything from nuts and bolts to sewing items to small parts being used during a device assembly. In short, the baggie is an indispensable item in most homes and garages.
Although an individual baggie is relatively inexpensive, especially when measured against its versatility and utility, baggies are not without any costs, especially the larger baggies and the thicker baggies that are used for freezer storage and possibly liquid storage such as soup or a smoothie.
Many individuals address baggie costs by reusing them until they wear out or otherwise tear, unless the baggie has become contaminated, such as by storing raw meat. In order to reuse a baggie, the individual washes the baggie and thereafter allows the baggie to air dry. Once the baggie is dry, it is reused. While effective in lowering usage costs, and decreasing the environmental costs, the problem in reuse occurs in the drying process. Baggies, by their design, tend to at least partially close in their normal relaxed state. Not only does this closure not facilitate proper drying of the inside of the baggie, it can foster the growth of mold and mildew within the baggie, thereby rendering the baggie unusable, requiring discarding of the baggie.
To address this issue, various devices have been proposed that act as a drying rack in order to assist in the baggie drying process. Such devices, which come in a variety of architectures, suffer from one or more drawbacks. Some devices are unusually complex and expensive, thereby making such devices economically unattractive to potential consumers. Some devices hold a substantial portion of the baggie open, yet allow the corners to remain somewhat closed, thereby preventing full drying at the corners so that mold and mildew growth can occur.
What is needed is a device that allows a baggie to dry after being washed, which device addresses the above stated shortcomings in the art. Such a device must be of relatively simple design and construction so as to be relatively inexpensive to produce so as to be economically attractive to potential consumers for this type of device. Such a device must hold the entire internal cavity of the baggie in an open state to allow full drying of the entire interior of the baggie.